13 Jul Laura Ullom-Minnich MVS Updates: 7/13/23
Mennonite Voluntary Service Unit | 802 Page Street | San Francisco, CA 94117
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Organization: Interfaith Power & Light:
A national campaign mobilizing faith community action on global warming.
With 40 state affiliates reaching 22,000 houses of worship of all major faith traditions, IPL is the largest grassroots interfaith organization focused on climate change.
Headquartered in Oakland, IPL has 10 full time staff, including three staff for the California IPL affiliate.
Job Description: Volunteer Associate/Advocate:
The Climate Justice Advocacy Associate will work with both organizations to expand the work with faith communities in underserved and disadvantage areas, assist with events
and webinars, create educational materials, and research to inform policy advocacy and congregational outreach.
Responsibilities:
Research congregations in underserved areas that are candidates for solar and/or climate resiliency resources
Develop materials and informational resources, compile mailings, enter new contacts into database
Support educational events and webinars for congregations on topics such as financing rooftop solar, policy advocacy, and climate resilience
Work to help grow a social media presence
Promote clean vehicle rebate information to underserved communities
Assist with research on environmental policy issues and legislators
Communication between Laura and her home congregation – assisted by an Advocate Liaison
Enrich and educate your community as they are informed and updated on Laura’s work
Provide support to Laura with prayer, letters, phone calls, texts, e-mails, and care packages.
Keep Laura connected with what is happening in your community.
Financial support – MVS
MVS invites the volunteer to raise $4,000 annually; while in placement. It costs about $16,000 annually to support an MVS participant. The stipend contributed from Laura’s
placement agency helps pay a significant share of this cost, but it does not cover the total. MVS asks the volunteer and their community to invest in service by helping to
reduce the financial burden on the social service agencies that MVS serves. Aside from reducing the burden on placement agencies, the money raised helps cover the local
unit budget, participant’s health insurance, living expenses, stipend money, and the staff of the national offices. In this way, MVS continues to be sustainable and provide
important service opportunities to young adults.
Financial Support – McPherson CoB
The McPherson CoB has not previously raised funds for volunteers serving with Brethren Volunteer Service, Mennonite Volunteer Service, Peace Corps or AmeriCorp. Finance Team, in consultation with Outreach team, will consider whether to create an updated policy whereby this level of fund-raising will be undertaken for future volunteers to these
agencies. The Outreach Team has not designated this as an official church fund-raiser nor is there an intention for regular giving to the McPherson CoB budget to be superseded by MVS’s request to fund volunteers.
Here is a direct giving link Laura has established on her personal Facebook page Mission Network (givesmart.com)
Laura is using the church as a ‘pass-thru’ for this fund-raising effort in support of her project assignment. Therefore due to IRS restrictions individuals may not give to her project,
through the church, and count it as tax-deductible or receive credit on their giving record for the Church. Gifts marked for her project will be forwarded to MVS or you may send
funds on her behalf directly to MVS: Mennonite Mission Network, 718 N Main St, Newton KS 67114.
Please print Laura’s name and MVS on the memo line of the check in order that monies may be forwarded specifically to support Laura’s work. All funds received will be used to
support the San Francisco MVS unit and MVS program regardless of individual fundraising goals and are non-refundable.